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Did you know “71% of homeowners are willing to sacrifice a feature such as a second bathroom in their home for smart home technology”? (Loxone)
The smart home hardware and service market is expected to reach $195 billion in revenue by 2021, according to a Juniper Research report. Getting a smart home renovation is becoming more common, with smart home automation company Loxone discovering that 71 percent of homeowners willing to sacrifice a feature such as a second bathroom to get this technology. Since properly implementing this hardware can be challenging, 66 percent of these homeowners also want a professional installer to handle the work for them. Here’s a guide to what you need to know to become a successful smart home installer.
1. Sign Up for a Smart Home Installation Course
The first step is learning your way around smart home installations. Udemy and similar learning platforms offer courses that guide you through the process. Look for smart home specific classes, as well as ones that cover the Internet of Things. You may also want to look into courses on home networking, as these connected devices typically need access to an Internet connection to operate correctly.
2. Get Certified in Smart Home Installation
Certifications show potential customers that you have a strong understanding of particular smart home devices. For example, ETA International offers certifications in alarms, electronic security networking, residential electronics systems integrator and master residential electronics systems integrator.
3. Keep Up With Industry News
The Internet of Things is an emerging market where innovations pop up on a regular basis. Keep a close eye on smart home industry news and trade shows so you can position yourself to take advantage of upcoming trends.
4. Use Smart Devices in Your Own Home
One of the best ways to build familiarity with smart devices is to install them in your own home. Consider using Nest, Amazon Echo and Ring to get a taste of the most popular devices that customers might be looking for.
5. Build Up Your Smart Home Installation Experiences
You probably won’t get the opportunity to do a massive smart home installation project when you first start offering this service. Focus on smaller jobs to begin with so you can get credibility in this area. The hands-on experience also exposes you to the common situations and challenges that you encounter during this process.
6. Understand Smart Home Device Use Cases
How are your potential customers using smart home devices? Learn about the most common use cases, from the device categories used in that configuration to the ways it benefits their lives. In many cases, this technology either automates mundane tasks, offers an improved experience or streamlines a household function.
7. Learn About Possible Third-Party Integrations
Many smart home devices provide an Application Programming Interface that opens up the door for third-party integration. They may also support native integration with other products by the same company or partners. Homeowners may request that their smart home devices get integrated together, so a strong understanding of these interactions is necessary to offer the best possible service.
Smart home devices improve many aspects of domestic life. From robotic vacuum cleaners to advanced doorbells, the Internet of Things offers a lot of potential. The demand for this technology is only going to get greater as it becomes more mainstream. Prepare your field service company now so you can be on top of this trend in the future.
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Last modified: December 28, 2018
